Women's professional soccer star Megan Rapinoe was among 40 professional, Olympic, and Paralympic athletes sending a letter to Congress opposing House Bill 734 that prohibits biological males from participating in female sports.
The bill, known as the Protection of Girls and Women in Sports Act, generally prohibits school athletic programs from allowing individuals whose biological sex at birth was male to participate in programs that are for women or girls, according to the legislation.
"Right now, transgender, and intersex human rights are under attack, with politicians in Washington D.C. pushing forward H.R. 734, the so-called 'Protection of Girls and Women in Sports Act,' which would stipulate that Title IX compliance requires banning transgender and intersex girls and women from participating in sports," the letter signed by Rapinoe and 39 other athletes from various sports including WNBA star Sue Bird, said. "If this bill passes, transgender and intersex girls and women throughout the country will be forced to sit on the sidelines, away from their peers and their communities. Furthermore, the policing of who can and cannot play school sports will very likely lead to the policing of the bodies of all girls, including cisgender girls."
According to the letter, the bill would "deter" girls from participating in sports programs and create "additional" barriers for that participation.
"We believe that gender equity in sport is critical, which is why we urge policymakers to turn their attention and effort to the causes women athletes have been fighting for decades, including equal pay, an end to abuse and mistreatment, uneven implementation of Title IX, and a lack of access and equity for girls of color and girls with disabilities, to name only a few," the letter said.
The letter comes days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled April 6 that a 12-year-old transgender girl could continue to compete on her West Virginia middle school's track and cross-country teams while litigation against a law in that state that would ban her participation continues, the Associated Press reported.
That same day, the U.S. Department of Education issued guidelines for implementing Title IX discrimination protections for transgender athletes in high schools and colleges.
"Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination. Being on a sports team is an important part of the school experience for students of all ages," U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in the issued guidance. "Beyond all the benefits to physical and mental health, playing on a team teaches students how to work hard, get along with others, believe in themselves, and build healthy habits that last a lifetime. Today's proposed rule is designed to support Title IX's protection for equal athletics opportunity. We welcome and encourage public comment on the proposed regulation and will continue working to ensure Title IX's effective protection for all students."
The guidance prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and sex, but also allows schools to consider appropriate disparities like skill or grade levels when determining who can compete in sports.
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